Abstract

TURRI, Geovanna Santana de Souza  and  FARO, André. Health beliefs about the digital rectal exam. Arq. bras. psicol. [online]. 2018, vol.70, n.2, pp. 49-64. ISSN 1809-5267.

This study aimed to identify the main male beliefs about the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) comparing the responses of men who did the exam (G1) and those who did not (G2). We used a questionnaire containing sociodemographic and clinical variables, as well as free evocations. G1 showed evocations related to the susceptibility, severity, and beliefs associated with the benefits of the exam. Among G2, beliefs about susceptibility and benefits of screening were also highlighted. The results suggest that doing DRE may reinforce some stereotypes regarding negative aspects of the examination, but they do not cancel its positive aspects at all. It is necessary to take care of the patient-professional relationship and the professional's conduct during DRE, since barriers might be strengthened in that situation. Finally, we believe it is important to clarify the perception of searching for DRE not only with the target population, but also with health professionals.

Keywords : Health beliefs model; Digital Rectal Exam; Prostate cancer.

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